Internal-combustion engine.



0. A. DAVISQND INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC-1311915. T $271 11 3?) Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET WITNESSES.

FW/W

ATTOR/IIEV 5.1%. QAVISOI L ENTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC.

Pa'tenmd July 2, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET L WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY IDOFISETT ALLEN DAVISON,

OF GHMONIID, VIRGINIA.

INTERNAL-COIIBUSTION ENGINE.

' specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a, ram.

I Application filed December 1a, 1am. seriaino. eater.

- State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion and Steam Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion and steam engines, and more particularly to the valve mechanism therefor, and

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it is the nature of an improvement on the engine forming the subject matter of my application filed June 14th, 1915., Serial No. 34017, and that filed February 4th, 1915, Serial No. 6150.

The object of my invention is to provide a rotary valve for the controlling of the admission of gas or vapor to, and also of the outflow of gas from the piston, which valve shall require a small amount of power for its operatlon, and which valve'shall at all times fit its seat with suflicient closeness to prevent undue leakage of gas during the cycles of the engine, and at the same time admit of proper lubrication.

It is also my object to provide a means for mounting the rotary valve whereby ll can readily set it for the proper timing of intake, compression and exhaust; and also whereby it may be easily removed for cleaning, and be replaced. 7

Referring to the drawin s which ac company and form-a part of t is specificatiom, and in which like numerals refer to parts in the several views Figure l is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation of a two cylinderengine embodying my invention. Fig. H is an enlarged detail view showing the rotary-I valve. Fig. HT is an enlarged detail view, in cross section on line a--a in Fig. 1, showing the rotary valve within the cylinder. Fig. TV is a section on line b-b in Fig. Till. I

Fig. V is a longitudinal section through the head end of a horizontal cylinder showing the. valve and a form of driving mom-1 ber differing in detail from that shown in preceding figuresand Fig. VT is a cross section through the valve and cylinder on line d-d in "Fig. V.

In Fig. l[:--1 is an engine cylinder, with cylinder cover 2, both being jacketed as at In the cylinder wall there are pro- 5 for the admission and vided ports a and like exhaust, respectively, of the gases or other fluid used in the operation of the engine. In the cylinder head is an aperture 6 for the insertion of the spark plug, the latter not beingshown. 7 7 are openings for the ad- IHISSlOIl" of lubricants.

Arranged within the cylinder is a liner 8,

the outside diameter of which is less at all points than the adjacent inside diameter of the cylinder. Consequently the liner is free to be revolved within the cylinder.

Within the liner there reciprocates a piston 9, driving through the connecting rod 10 and crank 11 the shaft 12. The liner 8 is caused to revolve preferably by means of gearing. This gearing may be arranged in one or more ways,and in Fig. I I have shown an arrangement of gears, 30 and 24, by which the liner may be suitably and economically revolved. lit will be noted that the liner is shown as carried by ball bearings, 13 and 1a; the object of these bearings being to reduce friction. In some cases I find it advantageous to use a radial bearing, as at 15, to take side thrust.

16 and 17 are expansible packing rings.-

These may be arranged as shown here; or both of them may be placed either above or below the lower thrust bearing. It will have been noted above that since the liner may be revolved within the cylinder there must be. a space, 18, however small, between the two. This space is occupied by lubricant. The packing rings '16 and 17 prevent this lubricant from escaping too rapidly to the lower part or crank case of the engine. If desired the upper packing ring 16 may be arranged to allow suflicient lubricant to pass to the bearings below. In Fig. V there will be noted a ring may be use inhorizontal engines for the purpose of insuring a proper distribution of the lubricant, and to form a flexible support for the end of the liner '8.

It will be noted that the liner 8 forms a rotating surface within which the piston 9 reciprocates. This rotation of the "liner a do to the smoothness of the motion of the p ston, makin wear uniform, improving lubrication an reducing friction.

Alsowithin the cylinder and arranged at the end of the liner is a valve 20 the function of which is to control the inflow 'of gas to and the outflow of gas from the cylinder of the engine and the piston. This valve 20 is made in the form. of an expansible ring;

(packing ring at 19. This and it is provided with an opening or port 21, which may be located at any point in its circumference, but preferably at the joint or split, and which is arranged so that it may be registered with the .inlet port of the cylinder for the admission of gas and with the exhaust port for the exhaust of the gas. The registering of the port in the valve with the inlet and exhaust ports of the cylinder is effected by rotating the valve, and this I do by connecting the 'valve to the end ofthe liner 8, and in such a manner that it rotates with the liner and is at the same time free to expand against the wall of the cylinder. The fact that the valve is expansible allows it to make ,a close contact with the cylinder wall without binding. This valve is shown in detail in Figs. II, III and IV.

In the end of the wall of the liner I .provide a numberof teeth or notches 22 which are adapted to engage like teeth or notches 23, in one edge-of the valve 20; the form of the teeth being such that, while they form a comparatively close joint, the valve 20 is free to expand against the cylinder wall. It

will now be seen that upon the rotating of the liner 8, the valve 20 will also rotate, its port 21 being brought into registration with the cylinder exhaust and inlet ports successively.

One of the disadvantages ofthe ordinary type of valve, and particularly that of the puppet type, is that after being in service for any length of time it does not hold tightly against its seat, sometimes because of a bending of the valve stem, or at other times because of a deposit of carbonorof scale upon the contacting surfaces of the valve and seat; When 'the valveso afi'ected is the exhaust valve of the engine, at the period of compression a portion of" the charge is allowed to escape by the exhaust valve, resulting in waste of fuel and loss of power. So also if the inlet valve is affected in this way, a portion of the charge is lost during compresion. Similarly,'durin the firing period a portion ofthe efl 'ect o the charge is lost if one or both of the valves are not properly seated. r

f The inlet and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine are opened against the action of springs, and theexhaust valve is also opened. while the gaseous contents of the cylinder are under compression; consequently the valves are opened against pressure, and in so opening them there is consumed considera le power which would otherwise have been available for useful efi'ort at the shaft of the engine.

My rotating form of valve overcomes these disadvantages. In the first place the greater thecompression of the gases, or the greater the expansive force of the gases at firing, the closer will the valve contact with the. wall of the cylinder to form a gas tight ber throu h a. flexible respectively. The only means of escape for these gases would be by way of the space '18 between the outside wall of the liner and the inside wall of the cylinder. But escape of the gases by this space is eftectually prevented by the lubricant with which the space 18 is filled, and by the packing rings 17 and 16.. Such oilas may escape will lubricate the lower bearings of the liner, and subsequently the shaft bearings; any surplus thereafter'falling to the bottom of the crank case, whence it may be pumped a ain to lubricate the valve and the liner. uitable orifices 25 may be provided inthe wall of the liner to allow lubricant to pass from the exterior to the interior wall for the purpose of lubricating the piston.

Thus I provide an expansible valve adapted to make'a gas tight joint with the -wallsof the cylinder, which may be rotated by means of a non-expansi-ble rotating memor slidin connection, and whic requires but a smal proportion of the power of the engine to rotate it. At the same time any gas, which under pressure, ma escape from the combustion space of the cylinder, is turned to good account in assisting in a forced feed of the lubricant supplied to the working parts of the engine.

I have now described the general arrangement of the parts of my engine and the manner in which the valve is operated. A consideration of importance in the operation of any engine is that of proper timing of the valves; that is, the timing of the opening and closing of, the valves, and particularly of the gas mlet valve, in relation to the position" of the crank of the en ine. In setting my valve for timing, the-cylinder head being removed, the val e. is merely rotated, independently of the liner,-in the desired direct1on. When it vhas been rotated sufliciently the teeth in the'edge of the valves are allowedto engage the teeth in the edge of the liner. I

. In the drawings I have generally shown the. engine as of the vertical type. My improvements are equally adapted to the 'horizontal type of engine; Figs. V and VI. I have also illustrated a gearing of the bevel type. Spur ears, or worm gears, or radial gears may a so be used, to suit different classes of enginespit being necessary however to obtain a fixed relation between the number of revolutions per minute of the valve and of the crank.

What I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent in the United States, is

1. In an internal combustion engine of the rotary valve type, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports therein, of a liner rotatable in the cylinder, a piston working in the liner, and an annular expansible ported valve adapted to controlthe flow of gas through the ports of the cylinder, and connected with the adjacent end of the liner, and adjustable therewith to change the relation between the position of the port in the valve and the position of the piston.

In an'internal combustion engine of the rotary valve type, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports therein, of a liner rotatable in thecylinder, a piston working in the liner, and an independent resilient annular valve located at one end of the liner and interlocking with the adjacent end of the said liner, said an-' nular valve being provided with a port and being adapted in the operation of the engine to control the flow of gas'through the ports in the cylinder.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the rotary valve type, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports therein, of a liner rotatable in the cylinder,

a piston working in the liner, and an annular split band located at one end of the liner and interlocking with the adjacent end of the said liner, said annular band being provided with a port and being adapted in the operation of the engine to control the flow of gas through the-ports of the cylinder. l

4. In an internal combustion engine of the rotary valve type, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust portsf therein, of a liner rotatable in the cylinder, a piston working in the liner, and an annular expansible valve located at one end of the liner and adjustably, connected and adapted to rotate with the said liner, the

said valve being adapted to control the flow of: gas through the ports of the cylinder.

5. The combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports, cylindrical liner rotatable within the cylinder, a rotary valve adjustably mounted on the liner and adapted to rotate with the liner and to control the ports in the cylinder, and means for rotating the liner.

6. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cylinder having ports at its head end for admission and outlet of gas,

an elastic annular valve making a close con tact with the inner wall of the cylinder, and adapted to control the flow of gas through the cylinder ports, a liner rotatable within the cylinder and of less outside diameter than the inside diameter of the cylinder so as to form an annular space for the reception of lubricant, and having adjacent its crank end one or more packing rings to impede the escape of lubricant; the said liner being connected at its head end with the adj acent edge of the valve by means of serra-- t1ons so arranged that the rotating liner will rotate the valve, and the said serrations so fittlng with one another that lubricant may pass through the interstices to the inside surface of the liner, and means for rotating the liner.

7. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cylinder having ports at its head end for admission and outlet of gas, an elastic annular valve making a close contact with the inner wall of the cylinder, and adapted to control the How of gas through the cylinder ports, a liner rotatable within the cylinder and of less outside diameter than the inside diameter of the cylinder so as to' form an annular space for the reception of lubricant, and having adjacent its crank end one or more packing rings to impede the escape of lubricant; the said liner being connected at its head end with the adj acent edge of the valve by means of serrations so arranged that the rotating liner will-- rotate the valve, and means for rotating the liner.

8. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cylinder head,- a liner rotatable in the cylinder and extending up:

Ward therein to a point adjacent but below the inlet and exhaust ports, a piston working in the liner, and an annular expansible ported valve extending between the liner and the cylinder head, and adapted to make close contact with the wall of the cylinder to control the flow of gas through the portstherein, and adjustably connected with the adjacent end of the liner so that the rotating liner will rotate the valve to control the are trol the How of gas through the orts of the cylinder, and connected with t e adjacent end of the liner by means of tooth projections, the said projections being so formed that the valve is free to be expandedoutwardly by the compression or explosion of gases within the combustion chamber to form a close contact with the wall of the cylinder to control the ports therein.

10. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a cylinder having adjacent its head end inlet and exhaust-ports, a liner rotatable within the cylinder, the outside diameter of this liner being appreciably less than the inside diameter of the cylinder to form an annularspace between the Walls of the cylinder and liner for the reception of lubricant, means adjacent the crank end of the liner for controlling the crankward flow of the lubricant in the annular space between the cylinder and the liner, an annular expansible ported valve located within the cylinder between the liner and the cylinder head, adapted to control the flow of gas through the ports in the cylinder wall, and connected with the adjacent end of the liner by means of driving projections, which projections are so arranged that the valve is free to expand under the influence of compressed or expanding gases to form a close contact with the wall of the cylinder.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports therein, a liner rotatable in the cylinder, a piston working in the liner, an annular split band located at one end of the liner and interlocking with the adjacent end of the liner, said annular band being provided with a port and being adapted in the operation of the engine to control the flow of gas through the ports in the cylinder, and means for injecting lubricant beder and of less outside diameter than the ina slide diameter of the cylinder so as to form an-annular space for the reception of lubricant, and having adjacent its crank end one or morepacking rings to impede the escape of lubricant; the said liner being connected at its head end with the adjacent edge of the valve by means of serrations so arranged that the rotating liner will rotate the valve. means for rotating the liner, and means for introducing lubricant between the inner wall of the cylinder and the outer surfaces of the liner and the annular valve.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DORSETT ALLEN DAVISON. Witnesses:

G. E. DAVISON, WILLIAM L. TYLER. 

